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Full-Text Articles in Materials Science and Engineering

Life Cycle Assessment Of Pasture-Based Agrivoltaic Systems: Emissions And Energy Use Of Integrated Rabbit Production, Alexis Pascaris, Robert Handler, Chelsea Schelly, Joshua Pearce Dec 2021

Life Cycle Assessment Of Pasture-Based Agrivoltaic Systems: Emissions And Energy Use Of Integrated Rabbit Production, Alexis Pascaris, Robert Handler, Chelsea Schelly, Joshua Pearce

Michigan Tech Publications

Agrivoltaic systems, which deliberately maximize the utility of a single parcel of land for both solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity production and agriculture, have been demonstrated as a viable technology that can ameliorate competing land uses and meet growing energy and food demands efficiently. The goal of this study is to assess the environmental impacts of a novel pasture-based agrivoltaic concept: co-farming rabbits and solar PV. A life cycle assessment (LCA) quantified the impacts of 1) the integrated agrivoltaic concept in comparison to conventional practices including 2) separate rabbit farming and PV production and 3) separate rabbit farming and conventional electricity …


Decarbonizing Rural Residential Buildings In Cold Climates: A Techno-Economic Analysis Of Heating Electrification, Filippo Padovani, Nelson Sommerfeldt, Francesca Longobardi, Joshua M. Pearce Nov 2021

Decarbonizing Rural Residential Buildings In Cold Climates: A Techno-Economic Analysis Of Heating Electrification, Filippo Padovani, Nelson Sommerfeldt, Francesca Longobardi, Joshua M. Pearce

Michigan Tech Publications

Given the need for decarbonization of the heating sector and the acute need of a propane replacement in the U.S. Upper Midwest, this study quantifies the techno-economic characteristics of sustainable heating electrification in isolated rural, residential buildings in cold climates without natural gas supply. Archetypal buildings are modeled under four levels of electrification. At each electrification level, a parametric solar photovoltaic (PV) sizing analysis is performed and the total life cycle cost, renewable fraction and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are calculated based on the primary energy supply for each building type. Cost optimal solutions are stress-tested with multi-dimensional sensitivity analyses. …


Design Of Ac Microgrid Topology With Photovoltaic Uncertainties In A Rural Village, Vannak Vai Apr 2021

Design Of Ac Microgrid Topology With Photovoltaic Uncertainties In A Rural Village, Vannak Vai

Makara Journal of Technology

Energy needs are increasing day by day, especially for developing countries, due to population growth and changing lifestyles. A suitable microgrid topology with renewable energy integration is considered to fulfill the people and society’s needs. This paper focuses on the design of AC microgrid topology for a nonelectrified village with the integration of PV uncertainties in both sitting and sizing. The development of an optimal algorithm based on the conductor use minimization and unbalanced load improvement is proposed. The shortest path is proposed to search for the minimum conductor use. Then, the algorithm for improving the unbalanced load with two …


Economics Of Grid-Tied Solar Photovoltaic Systems Coupled To Heat Pumps: The Case Of Northern Climates Of The U.S. And Canada, Joshua M. Pearce, Nelson Sommerfeldt Feb 2021

Economics Of Grid-Tied Solar Photovoltaic Systems Coupled To Heat Pumps: The Case Of Northern Climates Of The U.S. And Canada, Joshua M. Pearce, Nelson Sommerfeldt

Michigan Tech Publications

Solar photovoltaic (PV) technology is now a profitable method to decarbonize the grid, but if catastrophic climate change is to be avoided, emissions from transportation and heating must also decarbonize. One approach to renewable heating is leveraging improvements in PV with heat pumps (HPs). To determine the potential for PV+HP systems in northern areas of North America, this study performs numerical simulations and economic analysis using the same loads and climate, but with local electricity and natural gas rates for Sault Ste. Marie, in both Canada and U.S. Ground-mounted, fixed-tilt, grid-tied PV systems are sized to match 100% of electric …